RA Pocket Shrine 186/? – One for #TeamShrubbery

/ June 12, 2019

After my embarrassing confession of how many millions of tins I still have unused in my stash, I got to work last week. It had been a little while since I last made any, so I needed to ease myself back in. I usually have a concept for a shrine ready before I start executing the idea. That means I have a clear mental image of the finished object and I have printed out the necessary pictures that will populate the mini diorama. Usually, the latter is the most time-consuming process for me. Simply because I *always* get side-tracked into looking at pretty pictures of our favourite man while hunting for the one that will fit perfectly into my concept… The image search literally can take hours for me. Entirely my fault, of course. Actually, no, I blame it on Richard and his irresistible handsomeness.  The only way to be quick and churn out more than one RAPS at a time, is to challenge myself to an impro session. That means working with the stuff that I already have. And that’s what I did with these four pocket shrines.

Inspiration can come from one picture in my stash, or from a tin design, or from a collection of pictures in my stash. And the latter is what inspired me to make today’s RAPS.

It started with this tin that I was sent by our Hollywood Army rep, LoLo. (I had no idea that strong double-sided tape is what the busty Hollywood beauties use to keep their dresses from sliding off their breasts… Our local DIY store might make a roaring trade now in carpet-laying tape. Much cheaper, but also does the trick. Oh, wait, I don’t have a cleavage-revealing dress, though.) Anyway, as you can see, the tin is really unusual. I stupidly didn’t measure it, but it’s about 3 cm wide and 10 cm long. I thought the lid was kind of fun, so I left it as is. But the underside of the tin had been printed with the usual boring ingredient/purchasing info, so I ruthlessly covered it to make it the top of the RAPS.

You know what’s coming now, right? Team Shrubbery, this one is for you.

Lush! I mean, even I, a decided member of Team Stubble, is not immune to the charms of that Bearditage image. Ok, I ascribe it more to the chesthairitage, but nevertheless, the picture doesn’t exactly *repel* me *coughs*. So with the tin such an awkward challenging shape, thank you LoLo, I needed something long and vertical, and that’s why we eventually arrived at this design.

And yes, all those pictures, in those tiny thumbnail sizes, *avec* beard, where present in my stash!!! Go figure, eh, says the beard-hater 😂.

And arrrrrgh – I have just noticed that there is a piece of paper shreds across Thorin… oh no!!! I didn’t notice it when I photographed the RAPS. And I can’t photograph it again, because – it’s already been given away. That’s what happens when someone replies enthusiastically to my tweets 😂.

Anyway, the piece of paper fluff fell out when I packaged the RAPS, and it was sent to Hebe with the customary little candle that fits into the slot (but which I was too lazy to set up and photograph).

But yeah, that was the beardophile version of a RAPS… Hope Hebe will have fun with it.

The other three pocket shrines are ready to be revealed (and given away), too. Which one next? Click the poll, please 🙂

I’d bundle up in a snug jacket, too. Or better still, I’d like to bundle up in his arms…

 

PS: We’ve reached a new low. No, it’s not Trump, although his comments on the Irish “wall” were definitely the lowlight of last week. It’s fucking 10° Centigrade in Dublin. That’s 50F. Seriously. I mean, even you heat-haters out there must concede that that is way too cold for mid-June. Climate change is real, people! It’s raining out there, too, which is totally uncharacteristic for the first two weeks in June. There is *always* top weather in the beginning of June – just for Murphy’s Law because those are the two weeks when the country’s youth are sitting their “Leaving Cert”, i.e. the school leaving finals. Miss Guylty jnr. has been slaving away and has sat 8 out of 11 written exams already. Today is #9 – and the hardest one of all. Bi-lingual History. It’s her favourite subject, and a subject that she won a prize for this year. But it is also the subject that she is hoping to read at university from the autumn, fingers crossed, so the (entirely self-inflicted) pressure is on. So spare her a thought and send good vibes her way. She’ll be writing for 3 hours non-stop from 2.20 pm GMT+1.

 

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88 thoughts on “RA Pocket Shrine 186/? – One for #TeamShrubbery”

  1. Guylty sending massive positive thoughts to your daughter to fly through her exams! It is kind of fitting that the London and pink RA tins are tied right now. Both are pretty awesome and it would be hard to choose one definitively over the other.
    Hebe is very lucky!! Team beardage all the way with me ie Proctor and Raymond!! and Richard !!

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          • Guylty as a non crafting creative person (although I admit to being inspired to start some crafting) I admire everyone who has the talent and vision to make things including your RAPS and junk journals. I appreciate you sharing your results with us here.

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            • Guylty, Kate and Rachel are inspiring me to try some crafting, too! I’ve been gathering some junk journal supplies and even have an idea for my first one but am a little too nervous to start on it. I did make some thank you cards for two friends last night and am hoping that will be a good way to ease myself into it. You wouldn’t believe how much washi tape I got recently when JoAnn’s was having a 75% off sale!

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              • LoLo I didn’t even know what washi tape was until recently! But I was given a fantastic gift for my birthday and I promised the sender I would make the item so can hold me to that!
                I wish you much joy and good wishes making the junk journal. If it is half as great as the writing you do it will be astonishing ! 😘❤️👍

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                • Alrighty, Missy! I will hold you to making your birthday item. (And a very happy birthday to you!) I have no idea how to make a journal from scratch like G and Kate do, so I bought a blank book that was 70% off to give it a start, with some pretty paper for the cover. It’s actually a travel journal, with prompts for evaluating accommodations, listing favorite places seen, etc. So what I’m going to do is alter most of it but keep some of the existing pages and write in it like I’m visiting the cities/highlights in various RA movies. I needed something really laid out already for a first idea and am hoping this will kick it off. Good luck with your project!

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                  • Lolo that sounds like a great idea!! I am starting small b/c my beloved giver knows anything big I will procrastinate
                    My sister is very crafty and a wonderful DIYer and my sis in law is extremely crafty w fancy machines and printers!
                    The bday today was amazing my boss gave me a gorgeous bouquet in this stunning vase I just almost cried !
                    I hope you can show your progress in a guest post here and the final results ! 😘😻🤗👏👏👍🦋🌺🌹

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                  • *buts in* I forwarded this video to Abby yesterday – she’s also expressed an interest in trying some junk journaling. I would recommend this as an easy way to really *make* a journal – by glueing 3 envelopes together! Looks like a great beginner’s project.

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              • As much as I envy you US residents for JoAnn’s, Hobby Lobby and the grab bags at Michael’s, I am secretly pleased that I have no access to any of that. I’d be hoarding, hoarding, hoarding 😂

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                • Guylty there are grab bags at Michaels?!! I’m going there on Saturday to find a Fathers Day gift for my brother. Hobby Lobby is in Southern states like Texas so my sister frequents there. JoAnns I have not found around my neck of the woods yet.

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  3. Good luck to your daughter!! She’ll rickbit, I’m sure.

    That is a unique and beautiful RAPS and I approve the shrubbery theme. Then again, I’m an equal opportunity ogler. 😂 I like shrubbery, stubblitage and smooth sailing. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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  5. the long thin beard shrine is great, that pose of his is so ridiculously sexy…i think it’s nice because it gives us a glimpse of the Armitage chilling-which we never ever ever see

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  6. Wishing lots of luck with the exams. I guess there will be a huge sigh of relief once they are over (and hopefully lots of celebrating too).
    I’m intrigued by the London tin……could it contain some Lucas North?

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    • Thank you :-). It actually went alright yesterday. She wasn’t as happy about them as with the other exams she has sat so far, but she thinks it’ll be a good pass.
      As for the London tin… are you a Lucas North fan, Loops? If so, the tin is yours, just because you are the first to guess rightly what is in there…

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      • Hey, what a guess! Thank you for the kind offer. But please don’t think me rude if I decline….Guy and Thornton are my particular favourites, I would much prefer Lucas went to someone who will appreciate him more than me.

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        • That’s exactly why I asked, Loops. Not offended at all – it’s like you say: It’s always preferable if the shrines go to someone who really wants that particular chaRActer. No offence taken! And I’ll have to make Guy or Thornton again, soon 😉

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      • Michele, I have an old ode I could dust off for you. But I have never written an ode to a beard, because I don’t like them. So here is an oldie but goodie for you.
        This ode is referring to a photo taken at a press conference in Paris,2018, RA
        newly beardless. Looking very handsome, but from a distance.

        Ode to Stubble

        Oh how I feared,
        A permanent beard.
        How wonderful to see,
        RA beard-free.
        And a little more hair,
        Atop his head so fair.
        Love his Parisian look,
        But is there no closeup
        That anyone took?

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    • Too much credit to me – my daughter (and my son, bless him) have both been much better in secondary school than I was. (I was a bit of a one-track mind. I was atrocious in sciences; I solely passed on my above average abilities in languages and social sciences 😂).
      A very worrying development, Kathy. I detect a similar attitude in myself – I am beginning to feel ok about the beard. Hmph.

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  8. Holy petunias! I don’t know if I could have survived your school system. I did okay here and managed to survive Berkeley (only a B.A. though, no advanced degree, which has held me back career-wise). I’m sure I couldn’t have done as well as your daughter though. Isn’t that a lot of tests to sit?! She indeed takes after her brilliant mum. I join everyone else in sending her good wishes.

    It was finally a tad cooler here today but was 100 degrees F on Monday. Far too early in the summer for that. It seems to be the way with climate change that whatever the crappiest weather is for a particular area, that is what they are now lumbered with in spades.

    I’m glad that that silly little tin came in so handy! Our industry runs on the most bizarre tools. Such a lovely shrine! You know that I am firmly on Team Bearditage, although honestly, virtually anything that man does with his face is….oof. A very clever use of the space, OMG (Our Magnificent Guylty)!

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    • Oh, listen LoLo – I would so NOT have passed my finals if I had gone to school in Ireland! German school finals are much less exam-based than in Ireland. (Way back in the Stone Ages when I did my “Abitur”, I had to sit 3 written exams, and had 1 obligatory oral exam. Much of the final grade was made up by the performance in tests all throughout the final 4 semesters of school. In Ireland they have to sit a minimum of 6 written exams, of which Maths, Irish and English are obligatory. Maths would have broken me 😂. The subjects/exams here are also split between Ordinary level and Higher level. Ordinary level means you write a less difficult exam – but you also get less points for the result. In order to determine the overall finals result, the results of 6 individual subjects are added. My daughter decided to do exams in 8 subjects – that way she can later choose the 6 best results from a range of 8 subjects…)
      100F sounds pretty hot! Weather extremities are getting stronger, it seems. Cold where I am; very wet and floods where Zee is, and you are reporting that kind of heat…
      That tin was a great challenge, LoLo. I loved it because I often feel that a challenge that forces me to improvise, brings out new and surprising ideas and results.
      Haha, I can never use the expression OMG again 😉

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  9. Speaking as a member in good standing of Team Bearditage, that is one fine shrine! I do love the interesting tin shape. (Actually I love the man unbearded and stubbled too!)

    Hope your daughter’s exam went well. My son has 12 days until he is free of high school! I can’t wait for it to be over!

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      • My experience is more like “stressful”, unfortunately, but will be done soon and that in itself is exciting. We forced him to go to the school leaving ceremony, which strangely is a month before school ends. And he has no desire to go to the prom. They had a grad day with bowling that he went to though.

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        • Ha! And I thought that only Ireland is so stupid to have a school leaving ceremony *before* school ends. I think it’s ludicrous to celebrate the students before they have sat their exams. But ok, that’s just me…
          I think our school has a ball (prom) – called “debs” in Ireland – in September or October.

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          • My son was talking to someone in his grade who said he still has to take two courses to graduate. And yet of course he was at the ceremony. To me it makes it so not meaningful and hard to get excited about. But in our PC culture, everyone gets a medal for participating and also gets to receive congratulations with their friends even if they aren’t graduating.

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            • Thank you for saying that, Sue. The whole PC shenanigans only mean that our kids are wrapped in cotton wool and don’t see reality as it is until they leave school. If there were consequences for bad school work, maybe people would study a bit more… BUt well, I guess every generation is critical of those coming after. I am officially an old codger now.

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  10. A longer post here since twitter limits my ability to scream about Richard (perhaps that is why there is a word count…they know RA fans will just write essays about him if allowed)

    What a great bit of post to receive! I’m a long time lover of Richard, but I must say Bearditage has an extra special place in my heart. And now this pocket shrine does too…that top picture has always been one of my favourites. Remember when he had that same look minus the leather jacket (maybe the same day?) and had his arm around Hobbit script supervisor Victoria? Ooooh how I envied her. Yum indeed.

    ANYWAY – I’ve been silently obsessed with RAPS for a while now, so Guylty I cannot thank you enough for sending one to me!! I’m super excited to see the reveals for the other three, and also I’m feeling very inspired – I’m sure I have a tin lying around somewhere….. *flashforward to me surrounded by hundreds of RAPS* 😉

    Hebe
    P.S – I LOVED the pic and the ‘stache hahahaha. Thanks again, you really made my day!

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    • Thank you for commenting, Hebe. Glad the package reached you intact. I hope you’ll have lots of fun with the little box of fun. Something to keep in your handbag and cheer yourself up with.
      LOL on the Twitter word limit. Probably right though!

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  12. Pingback: RA Pocket Shrine 187/? – London Spy Guy [Raffle] | Guylty Pleasure

    • Oh yeah! And plan for today: Make a few shrines. (Those auctions are getting closer. Only two months to go. Of which I will spend a lot of time away in Germany…)

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  14. Pingback: RA Pocket Shrine 189/? – Heart [Raffle] | Guylty Pleasure

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